Was Stanton a murder target?

[John Fazio]

(11-01-2016 01:20 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  John, on p. 364 you write:

"Arnold. Arnold was one of the ignorant ones. He and O'Laughlen were a sideshow compared to Surratt, Powell, Herold, and Atzerodt. When it became clear to Booth that the Baltimore duo were not killers, there was no way he was going to tell them what was really going on."

Knowing O'Laughlen was not a killer and was not to be told what was really going on, why did Booth want O'Laughlen to come to Washington on the 13th?

Roger:

To do only what he most probably did: case out Stanton's home, to get the lay of the land and to find out, if possible, Stanton's and Grant's planned whereabouts the following evening. (How did Booth know Grant would be at Stanton's home that night? He had sources inside the Federal government, probably including the White House. If you doubt that, check Tidwell, Hall and Gaddy.) It is even possible that O'Laughlen had by this time signed on for killing, but I don't think so. His alibi for the 14th was stronger than his alibi for the 13th. Remember that only three of the eight witnesses who provided his alibi on the 13th were his companions. Further, Atzerodt's confession addresses only O'Laughlen's whereabouts in the evening of the 13th; he says nothing about the 14th.

John